Cartridge feeding mechanism



A ril s, 1958 R. M. LA RUE 2,829,562

CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 3. 1953 IN V EN TOR.

Richard M. L aRue EIKMMN 2,829,562 PatentedApr. 8, 1958 adse s one2,829,562 CARTRIDGE FEEDING MECHANISM Richard M. La Rue, Dahlgren, Va.,assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof V the Navy Application February s, 1953', sat-.1 No. 334,992 I 2Claims. 01. 89-33) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266)The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or. forthe Government ofthe United States of America for governmental purposeswithout. the paymentof any royalties thereon or therefor.

My'invention relates. to cartridge feeding mechanisms for automatic firearms and is particularly directed to cartridge belts and belt supportmechanisms.

Canvas webbing for machine gun cartridges, which was found to wad andjamthe gun, has long since been superseded by the metal link belt. Themetal belt comprises,

usually, links of sheet metal stampings which are keyed and in airborneequipment in particular. Further, guide I chutes could not be built tobe readily adapted to the close spaces in many gun turrets.

The object of my invention is an improved cartridge belt guide forautomatic fire arms.

A more specific object of my invention is improved 1 cartridge belts andguides which are light in weight, in-

. o i I 2 and 8 of each belt link. When the cartridges are large and theweight and length of the loaded belt is considerable, thenecessity forthe stiflening property of the right angle web 9 becomes evident. Whilethe T-shaped cross sectional configuration of the guide rail is mostconservative of weight for a given strength, other factors may dictatediflerent configurations. The end of the guide rail extends into thebreech-block mechanism to carry the cartridges into position forengagement with the cartridge unloading and firing mechanism, not shown.

The belt links are preferablyfabricated from metal stampings, of suchcommon sheet metals as steel or aluminum. The main link body, shown inFigs. 2 and 3, comprises an open-sided or sectionalized circular barrel10 which partially encircles the cartridge at or near the longitudinalcenter ofgravity of the cartridge. The open ing in the Side of thebarrel measures, circumferentially, less than 180, and the dimensions ofthe barrel aresd chosen that the cartridge, may be snapped laterallyinto expensive to,manufacture, and can be adapted to small desiredspaces without danger of decoupling the belt.

The objects of my invention are attained by an elongated feed rail,preferably being T-shaped in cross section with a web and flattenedflanges of predetermined width, and a cartridge clip or link foryieldably engaging a cartridge, such links having two opposedoverhanging guide tabe or extensions. The flattened portion of the railinterlocks and passes loosely under the overhang of I said tabs so thatthe link may slide freely along the rail without disengaging the rail.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from thedescription of one specific embodiment thereof in the followingspecification and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows the combination of my novel guide rail, cartridges,cartridge'belt, and automatic fire arm,

and firmly though yieldably held in the barrel. Alternatively, thecartridge may be pressed end-on into the barrel during loading of thebelt links. A cam, not shown, is usually employed in normal gunoperation to force the cartridge laterally downward and free of thebarrel. The barrel has two spaced axially aligned annular beads 11 and12 and a window 13 therebetween to loosely receive the hinge sleeve 14attached to the next adjacent barrel in the series of links of the belt.That is, the end edges of the sleeve which may be slightly flanged as at15 and 16, and the depth of the beads 11 and 12 are so chosen that thesleeve can move, without binding, between the inside ofthe barrel andouter surface of the cartridge, much in the manner of an ordinary doorhinge. When the cartridge, serving as-the pin of the hinge is withdrawn,the otherwise securely interlocked sleeve and barrel fall apart. Thislink construction permits considerable flexibility of the loading belt,without sacrificing reliability, and adapts the belt to bending to fitsmall sized cowlings and turrets.

Flexibility of the belt in all directions is enhanced, further, by thespecific barrel-to-sleeve attachment shown.

' The barrel and the sleeve are, in the illustrated embodi- Fig. 2 is aperspective detailed view of the guide rail,

and cooperating link of my invention,

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a belt link of my invention, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3. The automatic fire armof Fig. 1 is shown with cartridges 1 in parallel alignment entering thebreechblock mechanism 2 of the fire arm from right to left.

The empty casings and belt links fall away on the left side of thebreech-block. The cartridges and their belt links 3, Fig. 2, aresupported throughout the length of the belt by the guide rail 4. Thespecific guide rail in the embodiment illustrated is essentiallyT-shaped in cross section, having a flattened flange or edge portion 5upon which slides the integral guide tabs or ears 7 ment, separatepieces of metal. A flat 17 is drawn on the side of the barrel,diametrically opposite the Window 13,

and is provided with an opening 18. The sleeve on the other hand is slitcircumferentially inside the flanges 15 and 16 as shown. The tongue 19thus formed is hooked at its end, and a complementary hook on the sideedge of the sleeve is made. These two hooks, 20 and 21 Fig. 4, extendthrough and engage the opening 18. By keeping the tongue under tension,the hooks on the sleeve and the opening of the barrel are interlocked;yet the attachment is non-rigid and the belt has considerable freedom ofbending movement in all directions.

The guide tabs '7 and 8 are preferably struck up from the sheet metal ofthe top side of the sleeve portion of the cartridge link. Conveniently,the sheet is figure-8 pierced and post-formed to draw or knock out thelips or tabs. The spacing between opposed edges of the guide tabs, thedistance between the tabs and the top surface of the sleeve, and theamount of overhang of the tabs are Conveniently, a locating skirt 22 isstamped integrally with the barrel portion of the link. The skirt mayhave the same general dimensions as the barrel to increase the grippingforceon the cartridge, and may be of measured length to longitudinallyspace the cartridge. One or more crimps 23 are pressed in the end edgeof the skirt to yieldably engage the extractor groove of the shellcasing. The skirt andthe barrel portions of the link, further, may bejoined by a slightly raised bridge 24 under which a pointed cam of thegun mechanism, not shown, is inserted to force the cartridge laterallyfrom the gripping sides of the barrel and skirt. Where light weightsheet metal is used, the usual stiffening bends may be-formed in thestampings.

Good results have been obtained with link belts for cartridges of the 20millimeter type, Where cold rolled steel is used, about inch thick andis blackened by a hard carbon or similar coating for corrosionresistance.

The cartridge belt and belt support mechanism of my invention obviatesthe cumbersome, heavy, expensive, and relatively rigid cartridge chutesheretofore commonly used in the art. My improved belt links will notuncouple even with severe kinking, are flexible, are light in weight,are inexpensive to manufacture, and are adapted to the close spacing ofsmall turrets and cowlings.

I claim:

1. A cartridge belt comprising; a single guide rail and a plurality oflink bodies for holding cartridges, each of said link bodies having abarrel portion and a hinge sleeve portion flexibly attached to saidbarrel portion, said hinge sleeve portion of one link body beingadaptable for hingedly engaging the barrel portion of an adjacent linkbody, each said hinge sleeve having a pair of upwardly extending guidetabs engaging said single guide rail, the end portions of said guidetabs being opposed and spaced apart.

2. A cartridge belt as set forth in claim 1 wherein said single guiderail is T-shaped in cross-section and wherein a portion of said T-shapedguide rail is greater in lateral dimension than the spacingbetween theopposed end portions of said guide tabs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,283,359 Gaboury May 19, 1942 2,345,340 Howe Mar. 28, 1944 2,459,147Burgess Jan. 18, 1949 2,578,706 Kiuzelman Dec. 18, 1951

